title: High susceptibility to Chikungunya virus of Aedes aegypti from the French West Indies and French Guiana.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the vector competence of Aedes aegypti populations sampled from distinct anthropogenic environments in French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique for the strain CHIKV 06.21.
  
  
  METHODS
  F(1)/F(2) females were orally infected at titres of 10(6) and 10(7.5) pfu/ml in blood-meals. Disseminated infection rates (DIR) of mosquitoes were estimated using indirect fluorescent antibody assay on heads' squashes, 7 or 14 days post-infection (pi).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a titre of 10(7.5) pfu/ml, DIR ranged from 88.9% to 100.0% and were not significantly different whether assessed at day 7 or 14 pi. At a titre of 10(6) pfu/ml, DIR observed 7 days pi ranged from 37.6 to 62.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ae. aegypti from French Guiana and French West Indies are highly competent to transmit CHIKV. An evaluation of DIR 7 days rather than 14 days pi is adequate to estimate vector competence. The titre of 10(6) pfu/ml allows us to distinguish Ae. aegypti populations originating from distinct environments (dense or diffuse housing) by their vector competence. This assessment is a prerequisite to better evaluate the potential risk of Chikungunya outbreaks once the virus is introduced from endemic regions.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'entomologie médicale, Institut Pasteur de Guyane, Cayenne, Guyane française. rgirod@pasteur-cayenne.fr
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Girod
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaborit
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marrama
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Etienne
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramdini
authors.forename: Ignace
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rakotoarivony
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dollin
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carinci
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Issaly
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dusfour
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gustave
authors.forename: Marie-Michelle
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yp-Tcha
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yébakima
authors.forename: Anna-Bella
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Failloux
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vazeille
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000821:virology*; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana; D019430:Guadeloupe; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D008395:Martinique